D.H. Taylor "enlisted, expecting to be sent east to serve in the Civil War, but was sent to fight in the Walla Wall and Umatilla Indian uprising." This excerpt from Taylor's diary, held at the Oregon Historical Society, describes his time at Camp Baker, in Phoenix, Oregon from January 1, 1862 through May 31, 1862. The narrative includes the regiment's receiving the "joyous news of the victory of our troops at Manassas" on March 20 and their arrival at Lake Labish near Salem on May 20 and the locals of mixed French and Native American heritage. Throughout, you'll hear Taylor's voice as he describes the daily life of soldiers awaiting whatever comes next: getting drunk, having fights, longing for home, caring for horses, freezing in the cold.

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